Can-opener.



No. M733. Patented 001.21, |902.

w. E. MILES.-

willem/65:

UNITED STATES PATENT Grinch.

AWILLIAM E. NILES, OF. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAN-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentV No. 711,733, dated October 21, 1902. Application led February 3, 1902. Serial No; 92.248, (N0 mOdeL) To a/Z whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. NILEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specifica'- tion. l

My invention relates to devices for forming an opening in the tops of cans and other similar receptacles to alord access to the contents thereof; and it has for its object to provide a can-opener of such shape and construction that it may be forced through the can and when withdrawn will elevate or lift therefrom the lid-like piece of metal cut from the opening. Y

With these ends in view myinvention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the saidv drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of myirnproved can-opener,showing.

itin the act of lifting or turning back the piece cut from the can. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation looking from the opposite side.

In carrying out my invention I employ a knife which is doubled or bent in the form of the sides of the opening to be produced in the can. In the example shown in the drawings this knife is circular and is preferably formed of one piece 1, bent around a flange 2, formed on a circular head 3, the knife 1 being composed of thin sheet-steel or other suitable material secured at proper intervals to the ange 2 by screws It.

The piece of steel of which the knife 1 is formed has its two ends brought together, as shown in Fig. 3, and is cut away at this point so as to constitute two depending points 5 and a broad shoulder 10 between the base of the points to provide a bearing for the knife. At the points 5 the knife is widest or deepest, and its edge gradually inelines upwardly to a point substantially diametrically opposite the center of the opening between the points 5, so as to form a notch or crotch 6, the sharpened edges 7 of the knife being not only inclined toward this notch,but slightly rounded into the notch, so that when the points 5 are forced downwardly through the metal of the can the edges 7 will produce a shear cut and will continue to cut the metal until the crotch 6 has passed entirely through it, thus forming in the head of the can a iap or lid-like portion 8, as shown in Fig. 1, which is lifted from the opening when the can-opener is turned backwardly.

The head 3 is provided on its upper side with a knob 9 to facilitate the driving of the knife throughthe head of the can. In the use of my device the points 5 are placed, preferably, at a distance from the edge of the head of the can, so as to bring the notch 6 close to the opposite edge, and by pressure or blows applied to the knob 9, conveniently by means of the fist, the points 5 are readily forced through the head of the can, and the descent of the knife is continued until the iiap or lid-like portion 8 is entirely severed, with the exception of the parts between the points 5, from the balance of the head. Then by turning the can-opener backwardly in the manner shown in Fig. l the lid-like portion or liap 8, which is embraced by the circular knife, will be compelled to turn back with the knife and leave an appropriate opening through which the contents ot' the can may be poured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A can-opener having in combination a knife provided with two separated depending points, and a broad shoulder between the base of the points providing a bearing for the knife, and means secured to said knife whereby it may be forced through the can, substan` tially as set forth.

2. A can-opener having in combination a knife provided with two separated depending points from which its edge bends backwardly and upwardly and a broad shoulder between the base of the points providing a bearing for the knife I and means secured to said knife whereby it may be forced through the can, substantially as set forth.

3. A can-opener having 1n combination a knife provided with two depending separated points from which the knife-edge on both sides bends baokwardly and upwardly to a point diametrically opposite said depending points and a broad shoulder between the base of the lpoints providing a bearing for the facilitating its insertion, substantially as set forth.

5. A can-opener having in combination the head3, knob 9, a circular knife secured t0 said head 8 and having one side provided with an opening forming Ythe two points 5 and a broad shoulder 10 between the base of the points providing a bearing for the knife and the notch 6 formed in the upper edge of the knife opposite said opening and the edges of said knife on both sides being inclined upwardly from said points 5 to said notch 6, 3o

substantially as set forth.

W. E. NILES.

Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, W. D. CROSS. 

